With the holidays around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to share my delicious recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Roast. You’ll love how easy and quick it is to enjoy a deliciously tender and juicy turkey right from the Instant Pot. It’s so easy, you’ll want to enjoy turkey all year long!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.
What Can I Serve With Instant Pot Turkey Roast?
If you’ll be enjoying your turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas, I have the perfect list of easy holiday side dishes you can enjoy with your turkey roast. There are both Instant Pot and traditional side dishes included in the list.
For any other time of the year, this Instant Pot Turkey Roast goes perfectly with some homemade mashed potatoes. Since you’ll be making the gravy in the same pot right after the turkey, it will be perfect for topping your mashed potatoes. I like serving corn or green beans as a veggie side as well. And if you happen to have turkey leftovers, you MUST try my Turkey Leftover Sandwich with Cranberry Aioli! It’s amazing.
What Do I Need to Cook a Turkey in the Instant Pot?
For this recipe, I used a Butterball turkey roast. I bought it frozen and completely defrosted it before cooking. They are pretty small, around 3 pounds and they come packaged including both white and dark meat. I have to make 2 of them in order to feed my family of 7. This recipe will also work for a turkey breast, just make sure to always check the internal temperature to make sure the turkey is fully cooked.
To season the turkey roast, you will also need some olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. When cooking in the pressure cooker, you will need just a little unsalted chicken stock.
For the gravy, you will need the turkey drippings left in the pot after cooking the turkey roast, some butter, flour, and heavy whipping cream. All pretty basic ingredients and you’re ready to go. If you have a CrispLid, you will be using it for this recipe. If not, you will finish the turkey off in the oven to give it a nice crispy finish but definitely make sure to check out my review on the Mealthy CrispLid. It makes crisping the skin of the turkey roast so easy.
Essential Items
Here are some essential prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.
Featured Items
Here is a list of the products featured in this post or products similar to those featured in this post:
- Instant Pot
- Trivet with Handles
- Glass Food Prep Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Spoons
- Stackable Measuring Cups
- Chef’s Knife
- CrispLid
12 Must-Have Instant Pot Cookbooks
If you’re looking for a cookbook with easy and reliable Instant Pot recipes, then check out my list of approved Instant Pot Cookbooks.
How to Cook a Turkey Roast in the Instant Pot
It’s very easy to enjoy an Instant Pot Turkey Roast. Let’s walk through the process. As I mentioned above, this recipe is for a defrosted turkey roast, so if you bought a frozen one, make sure to defrost it with enough time. In a small bowl mix the olive oil, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, ground mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the spice mix all over the turkey roast.
Set the trivet into your pressure cooker and add the chicken stock to the pot. Place the turkey breast on top of the trivet and close your pot. Set the knob to “Sealing” and cook on high pressure “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” for 25 minutes. Once the cooking time has completed, allow for a full Natural Pressure Release.
When the pin has dropped you can open the pot. If you’re using your CrispLid, unplug the pressure cooker and set the CrispLid in place. Broil the turkey at 500 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. If you’re using the oven, broil on the middle rack on Hi Broil for 6 to 8 minutes. After crisping the skin, allow the turkey to sit and rest for 8 to 10 minutes. Finally, remove the twine from the outside of the roast and you’re ready to slice and serve.
In the recipe card below, I explain exactly how to make the gravy in the Instant Pot using the drippings from the turkey roast. It’s super delicious and goes great on top of the turkey and some mashed potatoes. Please refer to the recipe card below for a step by step on how to make it.
I can’t wait for you to try my recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Roast. Let me know in the comments when you make it and don’t forget to leave a star rating for it on the recipe card!
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Instant Pot Turkey Roast
BONELESS TURKEY ROAST RUBBED WITH OLIVE OIL, HERBS, AND SPICES
Essential Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey roast thawed
- 1 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock
for the Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
for the Turkey Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups turkey drippings strained
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Rub: In a small mixing bowl combine the olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, ground mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare Roast: Rub the olive oil with spices all over the turkey roast. Place the roast on the trivet. Add the chicken stock to the pressure cooker and lower the roast into the pot on the trivet.
- 25-Minute Cook Time: Close the Instant Pot, set the pressure release valve to ‘Sealing’ and cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’, ‘High Pressure’ for 25 minutes.
- FULL NPR: Once the cooking time has completed, allow for a Full Natural Pressure Release which can range from 12 to 15 minutes. After the NPR has finished and the pin has fallen, open the pot.
for a Crispy Skin
- CrispLid Method: For a more crispy skin, first turn off and unplug your pressure cooker. Place the CrispLid on top of the pressure cooker, set it to 500° F, and broil for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skin is nice and crispy.
- Broiler Method: Transfer the roast to a greased sheet pan or baking dish. Set on the middle rack of an oven under ‘Hi Broil’ and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the skin is nice and crispy.
- Remove the roast from the pot and allow to rest for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove the twine, slice and serve!
to make the Turkey Gravy
- Prepare Roux: Reserve two cups of the chicken stock with turkey drippings from the pot. Remove and clean the liner and then return it to the pressure cooker. Turn the Instant Pot on ‘Sauté’ and push the ‘Adjust’ button until ‘Normal’ is selected. Allow the pot to heat up until the digital display reads ‘Hot’. Add the three tablespoons of butter to the pot. Allow it to melt. Slowly whisk the flour, a little at a time, into the butter until it is fully combined. Continue cooking and whisking until the flour just begins to turn a light golden brown.
- Add Turkey Drippings & Cream: Gradually pour the reserved turkey drippings into the pot and bring to a gentle boil while continually whisking. Whisk in the heavy cream and continue to simmer for 4 or 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
My butterball turkey came out great. Since I didn’t want to buy a whole turkey for just 3 people I got the butterball turkey breast roast and follow the instructions in the recipe. What I did was change the ingredients to my liking and added 1 tablespoon of butter to the chicken broth. I cooked it for 45 minutes and it came out so good. Thank you so much it made my day so easy.
Awe, I’m so happy it turned out great Elizabeth! Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I appreciate it!
Hey Val. Great recipe! I’m trying it tomorrow.
I’m wondering about cooking two 3 pound roasts? Is the timing the same (whether 25 or 40 minutes? What about the gravy, given drippings will increase?
Thank you so much! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Ryan! I’m not sure you’ll be able to fit two! If you are able to, theoretically, they should cook in the same time since it goes by size of meat and not how many pieces. Hope this makes sense! Let me know how it goes!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I’ve never made a turkey roast–mine was by Butterball and all white meat (3 lbs). I started to cook it for 25 minutes, then read the comments and upped the time to 40 minutes. It turned out great and was very good.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Sorry for the newb question but what is the difference between a boneless turkey breast and a boneless turkey roast?
Hi Bobbie! I believe the roast has some dark meat in it, while the breast has all breast, white meat. Hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by!
Turkey breast is just the white meat. The turkey roast has both white and dark meat.
To be honest with you I don’t like any of it because I just want to cook by itself a 3 lb turkey breast and that’s all I want to know.
I have made a turkey roast twice now in my instant pot and 25 min is never enough time. All the recipes I’ve come across say the same time. Mine is thawed and I’ve had to go up to about 45 min with full natural release. Has anyone else had this problem?
Hi Julie! Some of the newer pots seem to cook differently than the older ones. That may be the case. At least you’ve found your perfect cook time. Thanks for stopping by!
This is why I want to know real times lol
The one comment that is shown here is saying that it takes longer on the new ones compared to the older ones is that a true thing that’s what I want to know LOL
Hi Richard! I suggest you start with my timing and if it’s not fully cooked when you’re done, you can always add more time. There is no way for me to test this recipe on all the different kinds of pots that are out there now. My timing works for most as you can see by the star reviews but sometimes, there will be a pot that will take longer. Hope this helps!
Make sure to check the weight on your roast. Mine is a Jennie O but not 3 lbs. Lol I had to weigh mine on my scale. I stepped on n weighed me with and without the roast. 😂 Whatever it takes. I see now I will just start off with about 40 minutes.
Hi, was wondering if you can add veggies to cook in with this so it can soak up the flavor of the roast? Would it have to be cooked separately?
Hi Jess! The problem is the veggies may fall apart if you cook them too long. You could add them at the end and cook for an extra couple of minutes. The time will depend on the veggies. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Valerie, I’m looking at doing a stuffed Turkey breast. I come across your recipe and you state 25 minutes for 3 lb turkey roast. So basically 8 minutes per pound is what you go by? I’ve seen other recipes for 6 minutes per pound thawed, and 10 minutes per lb frozen. Can you please give me a suggestion on how I want to cook my meal? I believe they are also 3 lb stuffed Turkey breasts. Thanks in advance!
Hi Blake! I haven’t made a stuffed one in the IP yet, so I can’t give you exact times, but if I was making it, I’d probably start by following my own recipe above and then checking for doneness with a thermometer. If it’s not fully cooked, then you can always add a bit more time. Hope this helps!
Have you ever tried doing an “in the bag” turkey roast? I’m nervous to take it off to loose shape of the roast. Poking several holes and crossing fingers. Also its a 5 lb. roast, and i have a 12 qt. GoWise. Any thoughts on timing?
Hi! Not sure I understand your comment correctly, but you can’t use plastic bags in the Instant Pot, or other pressure cookers. Let me know if this is what you meant. Happy Thanksgiving!
I would like to know the end result of this.